How Joining the Israeli Special Forces Helped Build Successful Brands with Thomas Shipley, Founder of Atlantic Coast Brands

Tom Shipley is a serial entrepreneur who has sold over $1B through omni-channel marketing over the past decade. Launching with virtually no capital, Tom launched and grew Atlantic Coast Brands (ACB) into one of the largest direct to consumer brand, multi-brand companies in America. ACB created one of the hot new categories of women’s hair growth in 2010. Keranique, the first clinically proven hair regrowth system for women, Keranique dominates the market and is the #1 hair regrowth brand for women in America sold through DRTV, Online Channels, Amazon, HSN, salons and retailers such as Ulta, CVS, and Riteaid.  Over the past year, Tom shifted the focus of the company to a “Digital First Strategy”.

Tom attributes parts of his success to the gifts of adversity from his childhood and service in one of the Israel Defense Force’s elite special forces unit.  His process of going from 10k applicants to the 13 that completed the 18 month training is the foundation for entrepreneurship and leadership that is the foundation for success of his businesses.  Tom Shipley has 2 daughters and lives in New Jersey with his wife Pam where they are currently working on launching their next business which is all about impact. 

In this episode…

Any person who has passed through military training will tell you how difficult the initiation process is. Their training teaches them to be disciplined, persistent, strong, and realize that the impossible is possible. They learn never to give up and persevere through hardships. 

And these same concepts of resilience and perseverance hold true even for entrepreneurs. Thomas Shipley, CEO of the Atlantic Coast Brands, applies his learnings from his training for the Israeli Special Forces on his various businesses. He credits it for helping him grow in his entrepreneurial journey as he learned to follow his gut, to create his own path, and as he learned the importance of having structures and processes.

In this episode of Innovations and Breakthroughs, Rich Goldstein interviews Thomas Shipley of the Atlantic Coast Brands about his experience in joining the Israeli Special Forces and how he applies the lessons he learned there in growing his businesses. Tune in as he shares his product development roadmap, how he utilizes various strategies for product development, and the role intellectual property plays in his business.